The invention concerns a drive unit for a continuous conveyance means of a transfer system. A drive unit was made known in DE 195 32 391 C2, the housing of which is composed of a top housing part and a bottom housing part. Shoulders interconnected via a cover plate are formed on the top housing part that accommodate the bearing of a drive wheel. The shoulders are capable of being guided into matching cut-outs in the bottom housing part, and the top housing part is screwed together with the bottom housing part. The known drive unit is designed so that it can be located at the end of a conveyor line or integrated in a conveyor line. Although it is possible with the known drive unit to insert the drive wheel from the top into the line and/or the bottom housing part of the drive unit, the top housing part and the drive wheel must always be removed from the bottom housing part in order to perform maintenance work.